Jorg,
Thank you for posting this blog. If you care to look up my introduction you will read that I described myself as an "average or below average" modeller, which is how I considered myself at the time. I had picked up modelling again after a lapse of over 30 years and had attempted a couple of kits to see if I wanted to revive an old interest. Des' reply says it all - it really is true that this site welcomes with open arms all modellers whatever their skill or confidence level may be. I have also read many comments from modellers which make good constructive suggestions about how to tackle a particular issue or problem with a given model, and more general hints and tips - all of which can help individuals to improve their skills and their models.
There are however a couple of things that any beginner might like to consider which I honestly think apply to all modellers regardless of their skills.
The first is that very often we are our own worst critics: we can see what others cannot and we worry about those things unnecessarily. No model is perfect, nor will it ever be, but sometimes that is difficult to take on board. What I have found in the 3 1/2 years that I have been modelling again is that sometimes my ambitions exceed my levels of skill. Then I have to ask myself why am I doing this? Is it to give me a sense of achievement or is it because I have the naive belief that I should always be doing something better than the last time? Sometimes I am a beginner too, such as when I try out a new idea or technique: then I try to share my experiences with members of this forum and in almost all cases I receive constructive comments describing/explaining how to do the same thing differently or better. This is a truly generous and positive forum, with many well informed and skilled individuals but no "experts". (Definition of an "expert": ex is an unknown quantity and spurt is a drip under pressure). I do not consider myself to be either as well informed or skilled as many on this site, but I can live with that.
Secondly not every modeller is good at explaining what they do - I write this as a retired teacher and I know that trying to describe/explain something so that all will understand is not as easy as it may seem. Therefore when a modeller asks for help/guidance/constructive criticism not everyone will feel able to provide a suitable answer. If you have a question or want some help or advice, just put it in a post and sit back and be pleasantly surprised by the responses that you will receive. In short do not be frightened to post your builds and models because the very act of posting will help you to boost your confidence. Even if something goes wrong post that too because the person who never made a mistake never made anything. It takes courage to admit to one's mistakes, especially in public, but as I used to (repeatedly) tell my students, it is by making mistakes that we learn the most.
A third point which I would make which I also learned as both a student and teacher is that it is so easy to underestimate what we are capable of doing and difficult to be consciously aware of how much we have learned. I used to build conversions (kit bashes) but have since changed to scratch building. I also enjoy building pushers types. Although there are times when I find conversions or scratch builds challenging, I have never considered them to be especially difficult. However when I restarted modelling I did not consider for a moment that I would ever be able to scratch build a model, let alone a pusher or multi-engined type. Now I look at a picture or drawing and think do I want to build one of those, not can I? The key to improvement in anything is small steps not giant leaps - just try out something new now and again when the urge takes you and not necessarily because you have to - you may surprise yourself as to what you can do. Skills once learned are never forgotten, they just need practice to restore and improve.
I want to echo want Jorg has written: "beginners" please show us what you are doing - you can only gain from the experience and so can the rest of us. I know that this is true because I have experienced it at first hand.
Stephen.
